Every day I do three things: read, write and drink green juice. It might only be ten minutes in my journal while I’m in line at the post office, but I fit it in some writing each day.
And, I constantly set obnoxious goals to write more, because it’s one of the things that I believe will leave me feeling proud and content at the end of my life. It’s the legacy I want to leave.
I’m assuming, since you’re here, you also want to write more. Here are ten tips to help you do just that:
1. Free write first thing in the morning.
As soon as you wake up, prepare a cup of water with half a lemon squeezed in it {to clear the toxins in your body that have built up overnight} to drink while you free write for a timed period of ten minutes.
“Another ideal moment for insights, according to Beeman and John Kounios, is the early morning, shortly after waking up. The drowsy brain is unwound and disorganized, open to all sorts of unconventional ideas.” –Jonah Lehrer, Imagine
2. Schedule time.
I know this seems ridiculously obvious {stop rolling your eyes at me}, but if you’re reading this post, wanting to write more, ask yourself if you have scheduled blocks of time for writing in your calendar right now. Well? I’m waiting for an answer…
Schedule a block of time {doesn’t matter how much, whatever you’ve got works} each week for the next four weeks. Then, come back and read the rest of this post.
3. Use prompts when you’re blocked.
If you’ve got thirty minutes of uninterrupted time and you’re sitting at your computer staring a blank screen with no idea what to write about, use a prompt to get you started. Here’s a FREE download of some you can use!
4. Carry a small journal with you.
It’s not convenient but most of us get some of our best ideas when we’re not sitting in front of our computers. That’s why I carry a moleskin and pen with me wherever I go. If I have to wait twenty minutes at the pharmacy, I pull out my journal and use that time to write and brainstorm new ideas.
5. Set a blogging goal.
At the beginning of this year, I decided to publish one blog post per day for 365 days. It hasn’t been easy, but it’s been a hell of a lot of fun. And, I definitely write more than I did when I blogged once a week.
6. Start a writing group.
Ask people in your area who like to write to join a weekly or monthly writing group. At each meeting, each person shares something they’re working on and gets feedback.
7. Tell yourself that it can be utter crap.
That’s right. I’m giving you permission to write sucky stuff—the kind of stuff that you’d rather spend a weekend with your crazy Aunt who picks her nose in public than share your writing with anyone.
This will get you writing when your smart mouth inner critic decides to chime in and tell you that you suck. Say, “Okay. Fine. I don’t care. I’ll still write even if it stinks.”
8. Work on more than one writing project at a time.
Currently, I’m working on copy for a launch email, two blog posts, a Wednesday Wisdom script, and a novel {one that I don’t think will get published—but I love writing fiction just for the sake of writing it}. When I sit down for scheduled writing time, I can pick whichever project I’m in the mood for as long as I don’t have a pressing deadline.
9. Give up something in order to write more.
Instead of stalking your high school nemesis on Facebook, write during that time. If you watch three hours of television in the evening, cut it down to two and write during the third hour. Give up thirty minutes of sleep to write first thing in the morning. Instead of scouring Pinterest for an hour, drooling over DIY projects you’re never going to make, write. Look at your lazy habits and give one up so you can spend more time writing.
10. Read more.
The reason I have so many ideas is because I read daily. Whenever I have a chance, you’ll see my nose in a book. I read about a variety of subjects and in different genres. Right now, you’d find a romance novel, a young adult novel, a book on spirituality, a business book, and health-related book on my nightstand. I fill up my creative tank constantly. I expand my vocabulary. I get new ideas. And, I think about things that I otherwise wouldn’t. Trust me. If you read more, you’ll write more and you’re writing will improve.
Hi, great post, I always try to write more and never manage it, let’s see if I can do better following some of the tips.
I have one question: how do you mangae the “archive”, I mean I have journals and staff and I never figure out where I put the writings!
Do you mean the blog archive? Or, do you mean archiving all of your writing?
I keep separate notebooks for different things. I have one notebook for free writing, one notebook for blog posts ideas, one notebook for quotes I run across, etc. I do most of my writing on the computer {except for free writing or when I’m not at my computer}, so it’s easy to categorize it in order to find it later. It took me a while to find a system that works for me, but now that I have, it’s pretty basic and easy to use.
I have main categories for big projects like: Wednesday Wisdom, CTG {which stands for Connecting the Gaps and is a big project I’m the co-founder of that will be launching soon!}, Fiction, Blog Posts. I then filter everything into those BIG categories so I know where to go back to find it. I hope that helps some! And, if you meant blog archiving, let me know and I’ll answer that one!
I’ll raise my hand up and admit I’m one of those who need to write more! I have this thought that it’s another chore/task that I need to do. But, I really need to spice it up and add more fun to it!
I like the idea of writing when you first wake up — I’m going to give that a whirl.
Another thing that has helped me is having an accountability partner. Not only do we call weekly to check in, but we work together for 25 minute spurts each Saturday. That’s when I usually do my writing. And, I find when I just free flow and not worry about grammar or content, things come out!
Thanks for the inspiration!!
Hmmmm…my question for you would be, do you really WANT to write more? If writing isn’t your thing, that’s okay, too. It’s one thing to improve your writing for your business which I believe can be done by doing small daily exercises–like free writing in the morning and doing a more focused exercised every other day–and it’s quite another to want to be a writer or have your business focus around your writing.
These are great, thank you!
Yay! Thank you!!! 🙂
Two of the things that have really helped me write more are points 9 and 10. I’ve always been an avid reader but now I find myself consuming more and it helps with my creativity. I’ve also tried to cut out all the clutter in my life to help prioritize my time.
BTW, my wife and I just moved to Manhattan with our two kids…do you miss the city? Thanks for sharing!
I don’t…I feel like such a nerd saying that, but it’s the truth. I’m not meant for the big city–it’s just my personality. I love to visit but living there is too much for me. But, I know so many people who would never leave and love it so much. Congrats on the move! I hope you love it.
I love this post! Awesome awesome awesome! :). I am going to write when I wake up tomorrow morning. Thank you for the tips April.
You are doing such an Amazing job on your blog post a day. You are really going above and beyond. All of your posts are packed full of great content, pictures, recipes.
Keep up the awesome work.
Emily
Thanks Emily! That’s so incredibly nice to hear and helps amp me up to keep going! 🙂
Great advice in this post April! I especially agree with #10 about reading more. I’ve always been an avid reader and I fully believe that has helped me become a better writer. Also, my advice to many of web design clients who tell me “I’m not a good writer!” is that with practice you can improve any skill. Generally the people who tell me they stink at writing are also those who admit they almost NEVER write anything! Practice makes perfect! 🙂
Thanks Dana! Yes, you’ve got to practice just like with any other skill. You get better the more you do it. You’re so right! 🙂